In 2010, Sam Bradford signed a 6-year, $78 million contract ($50 million guaranteed), before he ever played a down in the NFL. A year later, Cam Newton's rookie contract was worth just $22 million (all guaranteed) as the NFL moved to reel in rookie salaries during the 2011 lockout.

But with rookies locked into four-year contracts and unable to renegotiate in the first three years, it is impossible for young players not drafted in the first round to be rewarded for playing well even if teams wanted to.

Instead, Gabbert will have made $12.0 million in his career by the end of the 2014 season, 134% more than Kaepernick, just because Gabbert was drafted 26 spots ahead of Kaepernick in the 2011 draft.

In other words, Gabbert is being paid for what he did in college and at the NFL combine, and neither quarterback is being paid for what they have done in the NFL.